Forming An Opportunity Belief

I believe there is an unmet need in regard to healthy alternatives to dry pet foods and how easily accessible they are. According to a 2017-2018 survey by the APPA, over 60 million households in the U.S. owned at least one dog. The question now remains, how many of the household are aware of the fact that the dog kibble they are pushed to buy, whether it be through advertisements or by recommendation of a store employee or veterinarian, is actually detrimental to their pet’s overall health. Dry kibble is primarily composed of carbohydrates, and a dog’s digestive system is designed to operate on a predominantly meat-based diet. In order to produce the kibble that is sold pet stores, it must be cooked at extremely high temperatures, which creates acrylamide, which is known to contribute to cancer growth. Furthermore, the dry kibble is the one of primary causes for dehydration amongst dogs, which greatly affects the kidneys and heart. There has been recent movement towards raising the awareness of pet owners, in regard to having a more health conscious approach when it comes to feeding their pets. The most common push I’ve seen is the emergence of online articles which include recipes for home-cooked meals for pets and the benefits it provides, the most notable being, fresh foods will always trump the nutritional value of dry kibble. I am 55% sure this opportunity exists.

#1: Young couple who recently adopted a dog.

• Have you ever had a pet before?

• “No, this will be our first pet.”

• Did the pound you adopted the dog from advise you on what foods to get?

• “Yes, they recommended we get a dry dog food, but to make sure it was smaller sizes, since the dog is only 8 months old.”

• Have you heard of alternatives to dry food?

• “No, the only thing we’ve ever heard of is dry food and maybe wet food for when they need to gain weight.”

• Had you done any research, in regard to diet, before adopting the dog?

• “Not really, we looked at some brands from PetSmart, but that is about it.”
• Would you enroll in a subscription to have fresh, healthy dog meals delivered to your home? 
• “Yes of course, if it was more beneficial for the dog’s health then yeah.”

#2: Family who owns two large dogs.

• What is your preferred method of getting dog food? 
• We’ve always gone to our local PetSmart to get food for our dogs.”

• Has there ever been any health complications for your dogs, as a result of their diet? 
• “Well there was one time when our Labrador was suffering from dehydration. We took him to his Veterinarian, and they gave him some fluids and recommended we feed him home-cooked rice and chicken.”
• Did they explain the reason for their suggestion of home-cooked meals?
• “They mentioned it would easier on his digestive system at the time and would allow him to recover from the dehydration more easily.”
• Did you continue on the home-cooked diet?  
• “For about a week or so. Then we switched back to the dry food. It was getting too difficult to make the food. It was very time consuming and the Vet said he would be able to eat dry food again so we figured we would stop cooking at that point.”
• Would you enroll in a subscription to have fresh, healthy dog meals, like the one you cooked for your dog, delivered to your home? 
• “If it was affordable and healthier for our dogs, I do not see why not.”

#3: Family who is in the business of breeding dogs.

• Has your vet ever recommended an alternative to a dry diet for your dogs? 
• No, not really. For the most part they recommend the more popular brands but to make sure it’s grain-free.”

• Did you know that dry kibble poses a risk of cancer for your pets? 

• “Absolutely not. I can’t imagine that’s entirely true; otherwise why would they recommend it.”
• Did you know that it is possible that there is roadkill and spoiled meat from grocery stores in your dog’s kibble? 
• “That’s terrible, I have never seen anything along those lines ever written on the bags of food.”
• Did you know that corn is amongst the most popular pet food filler and is also the most damaging to dogs? 
• “Of course not, this is all news to us.”
• Would you enroll in a subscription to have fresh, healthy dog meals delivered to your home? 
• “Yes of course, after hearing this I will have to do more research but if the store-bought dry food poses as many risks as you say, then definitely yes.”

REFLECTION:

The general understanding of people is that pet foods that are sold in stores are the best option for their pets, otherwise they wouldn’t sell it. They were, however, very much open to the idea of subscribing to a plan that would provide them with fresh and healthy foods for their pets.

But it seems like it comes down to a matter of convenience more than anything.

SUMMARY:

I think that the opportunity is definitely there, but people’s awareness needs to be raised first. Most pet owners are oblivious to the harsh truths of dry food and are settle for what is easy to buy. I think entrepreneurs should invest their time in educating the general pet owner population, before implementing a way to obtain fresh ingredients and have it delivered to customers. The Farmers Dog, a company aimed at delivering freshly prepared ingredients cooked at low temperatures to make it easy on your pets’ digestive system, have already got the ball rolling. The only thing I would say they need to do is focus on increasing their advertising and educating the public on the negative effects of dry kibble.